Winter Running, Marathon Training Insights

The last few runs, including last night’s nine-miler, have been dark and cold, and it’s easy to feel the bite of snow in the air, though it has yet to fall. “Winter is coming,” as Eddard Stark might say, and if a reference to George RR Martin’s dark fantasy novels (now HBO TV series) seems a bit oblique to thinking about running, I beg to differ. With a high mileage winter training season about to begin, the worst weather months of the year impending, and a big hairy goal for time at Boston in April, there’s never been a better reason for New England marathoners to gird loins, strap on armor, and grit teeth they stare boldly into the oncoming storm. Stop checking the weather, because it doesn’t matter. It’s all going to be hard, and you’re going to love it.

While you’re getting psyched up for it, check out this great insight into the fall/winter marathon training cycle of some elite runners working towards Olympic trials.